Fastening device for sheet-metal roofings and sidings



March 16 1926. 1,576,727

A. J. DENIST ON, JR

FASTENING DEVICE FOR SHEET METAL ROOFINGS AND SIDINGS Filed August 6,1925 WKWZJJJZWZZLJZ Patented Mar. 1.6, 1926.-

UNITED STATES 1,576,727 PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT J. nnmsron, an, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

rasrnmne nnvrcn ron SHEET-METAL noorrnos AND smmes.

Application filed August 6', 1925. Serial No. 48,528.

for Sheet-Metal Roofings and Sidings, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in nails and tie-wires of thetype extensively employed for fastening corrugated and flat sheetroofing or siding to the underlying rafters, purlins or studdingp It haslong been a common practice touse for this purpose nails and tie-wireswith loose lead washers beneath the head of the nail or tie-wire, with aView to obtaining a" moisture-proof joint between the head of the nailor wire and the aperture in the roofing or siding through which itasses. In practice, however, it has been ound that, in the case of nailsdriven into wooden rafters or studding, this result is but imperfectlyobtained through the use of lead washers loosely mounted on the neck ofthe nail, since, in driving the latter the margin of the washer curls uparound the edge of the nail head and frequently forms a shallow troughthat collects water, and the latter gradually works down between thewasher and the neck of the nail causing leaks and rotting the woodaround the nail. Aside from this, in the operation of driving the nails,or applying the tie-wires, considerable time is expended b the workmanin preliminarily stringing t e washers on the nails or tiewires.

With a view to improving these conditions, it has heretofore beenproposed, in the case of nails, to completely embed the head of the nailin a body of lead either cast or die-pressed around the head. This.involves the use of a considerable quantity of lead and, furthermore,unless there is a considerable thickness of lead beneath the head of thenail, the latter is apt to be driven practically through the washer ifthe nail 1s driven far enough to securely fasten the roofing or sidingin lace, so that moisture seeps down between t e washer and the edge ofthe nail head. It has also been proposed to employ a lead washerpermanently united by casting or die-pressure to a specially formed neckand the periphery of the head of a convex headed nail, leaving therounded upper surface of the head of the nail,

however, projecting above the washer. In this construction also, theblows of the hammer on the nail head not infrequently force the latterentirely through the washer so that the intended purpose of the latteris partly or wholly defeated; and, furthermore, a hole must .first beunched in the metal roofing or siding be ore the nail is driven, or theblow required to drive the point of the nail through the metal willloosen and open up the lead covering of the nail head.

One object of my present invention is to provide animprovedfastening-either nail or tie-wire, with a lead washer permanently unitedthereto by either casting or die-pressure and of such a form andstructure that as the fastening device is applied there can be notendency to drive or pull the head of the device through the washer ordisrupt the joint between the washer and the head and shank of thefastening device. Another object of the invention is to provide such astructure wherein there can be no opportunity for water to collectbetween the head and the washer and work downwardly between the head andneck and the washer. Another object is to provide a structure wherein,as the fastening device is driven or drawn into place, the soft metal ofthe washer .will be squeezed tightly. around the neck of the fastenerand the un-' der side and periphery of the head of the latter will becompletely seated in and covered by the metal of the washer, and the topof the head and of the washer shall present a substantially uniform flatsurface free from any moisture-collecting channels or depressions. Otherobjects are to provide a nail which may safely be driven far enough tosecure the roofing or siding in place without any danger of forcing thehead of the nail through the washer or opening up a joint between thenail andthe washer, andto provide a nail of this type which will notrequire a nail hole to be first punched through the metal of the roofingthe invention, with the soft metal headthereof shown in central verticalsection;

Fig. 2 is a view showing a specific application of the nail of Fig. 1 asa corrugated metal roofing fastening; the latter appearing in verticalcross-section applied to a wooden rafter or purlin,

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the manner of using the nailas a fastening for corrugated metal siding, the latter and the woodenstudding appearing 1n horizontal cross-section.

Fig. 4 is an elevation, similar to Fig. 1, of a tie-wire embodying theinvention; and

Fig. 5 is a view in section through the roofing and an underlying metalpurlin, showing the tie-wire of Fig. 4 in fastening position.

Describing first the nail form of the mvention illustrated in Figs. 1, 2and 3 A in Fig. 2 indicates a section of corrugated metal roofingresting upon an underlying wooden rafter or purlin B. C designates awire nail of the ordinary well-known form having the usual fiat head D.Around the neck of the nail is permanently secured either by casting ordie-pressure a conical washer E of lead or other soft metal. It will beobserved that the Washer E encircles the neck of the nail immediatelybelow the head and also covers the under side and periphery of the headI), the fiat top surface of the washer being flush with the flat topsurface of the head. In other words, the head of the nail is countersunkin the top of the Washer to an extent that leaves its upper surfacesubstantially flush and continuous with the upper surface of the latter.

The tapered sides of the washer are preferably and as herein showninclined downwardly and inwardly at an angle of approximately forty-fivedegrees to the axis of the nail which, at the end of the nail drivingoperation, tends to pack the metal of the washer tightly around the neckand lower side of the head, due to the contact of the conical surface ofthe washer with the margin of the hole in the roofing through which thenail is driven. Where the washer is diepressed onto the nail this is notof much importance, but where the washer is cast on the nail, during thesubsequent cooling the metal shrinks away slightly from the nail, sothat the subsequent compression of the metal tightly against the nail inthe driving operation neutralizes this slight defect inherent in thismode of applying the washer.

When the nails are used to attach the corrugated metal roofing A to therafters or purlins B they are preferably driven through the crowns ofthe roofing as shown in Fig. 2 and when the nails are employed to attachcorrugated metal siding A to stud.-

ding F, they are preferably driven through the valleys of the siding, asshown in Fig 3. In neither case is it necessary to first punch nailholes through the roofing or siding, since the hammer blows impart adriving force simultaneously to both the nail and the washer, so thatthere is no tendency to either drive the nail head through the washer orto break the joint between the neck of the nail and the washer. As thenail is finally driven into place, the lower end portion of the washeris packed into and slightly expands the nail hole around the neck of thenail, the soft metal of the washer spreading over the edge of the nailhole and effectively sealing the opening at this point against theingress of moisture.

Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate an embodiment of the principle of the inventionin a tie-wire; these latter being commonly employed in connection withmetal purlins or studding into which, of course, a nail cannot bedriven. C designates the stem or shank of the tie-wire, which iscommonly formed of relatively soft and flexible metal having about thesame diameter as the stem or shank of the nail illustrated in Figs. 1, 2and 3. D is a head formed integrally on the stem or shank C andcorresponding functionally to the head D of the nail C. E is the softmetal washer which is applied to the head and neck of the tie-wire inthe same fashion and relation as the washer E. B in Fig. 5 designates ametal channel bar purlin or rafter, and G designates the corrugatedmetal roofing plates that are attached to the purlins by the tie-wire.

In this construction, holes to receive the tie-wire are, of course,first formed through the roofing, since the lower end of the tiewire isblunt and the metal thereof is not sufiiciently rigid to permit the sameto be driven through the roofing. As the latter is laid over the purlin,the tie wire is entered through the aperture in the roofing and ispulled down hard and suitably anchored at its lower end to the purlin.In the method of fastening here shown, the lower portion of the stem orshank of the tie-wire is bent around beneath and over the edge of thelower flange of the purlin to anchor the tie-wire in place, but variousother methods of securing the tie-wire are in vogue, and this featureforms no part of the present invention. As the wire is drawn down, thelower portion of the Washer is drawn tightly into the hole in theroofing, completely filling and sealing said hole; so that most of theadvantages of the form of washer herein shown and described above inconnection with a nail also inhere in the tie-wire. One advantage ofpractical importance lies in the elimination of the time heretoforerequired to string the loose 3 tinuation of an application heretoforefiled can be very cheaply made, uses a relatively small amount of softmetal, does not require or involve any special structure of nail ortie-wire, and acts efiiciently to prevent the ingress of moisture eitheraround the head and neck of the nail or wire or between the washer andthe hole in the roofing or siding.

I am aware that soft metal washers permanently applied to the head andneck of a nail. are broadly old and known; but the form of washer hereinshown with the top surface substantially flush with the top surfaceofthe head of the fastening member possesses numerous advantageshereinabove enumerated which do not inhere in any other form or type oflead headed nail with which I am acquainted.

- I am also aware that shoe nails of the type commonly known as hobnailsequipped with an auxiliary hard metal head encircling the head and neckof the nail proper and formed with downwardly and outwardly taperingspurs are also known. Such nails,'however, constitute an entirelydifferent type of fastening device from those herein shown, and areemployed in a different situation and for a different purpose,

and are useless for the purposes of the present invention. Thisapplication constitutes in part a conby me on the 30th day of March,1925, Serial No. 19,205, for improvements in nails.

1. A unitary fastening device for the purposes described, comprising ashank, a head integral therewith, and a soft metal washer encircling andsnugly fitting the portion of the shank directly beneath the head andthe lower side and periphery of the latter, and onvits upper sidesubstantially flush with the top surface of said head.

2. A unitary fastening device for the purposes described, comprising ashank, a head integral therewith, and a soft metal washer encircling andsnugly fitting the portion of the shank directly beneath the head andthe lower side and periphery of the latter, said washer being formedwith downwardly and inwardly inclined sides and a flat upper sidesubstantially flush and continuous with the top surface of said head.

3. A unitary fastening device for the purposes described, comprising ashank, a fiat head integral therewith, and a round lead washerencircling and snugly fitting the portion of the shank directly beneaththe head and the lower side and periphery of the latter, said washerhaving straight downwardly and inwardly tapered sides inclined at anangle of approximately forty-five degrees from its axis and a flat upperside substantially flush and continuous with the top surface of saidhead.

ALBERT J. DENISTON, JR.

